My Two Bits: Ash vs Evil Dead Season 1, Ep 1

Ever have one of those moments where you can't believe what you're watching? Not because what you're watching is bad? Oh no. The other kind of moment. The kind where you can't believe your eye holes are witnessing something you've dreamt about for so long.

Such is the case with Starz new Ash vs Evil Dead TV series. THIS is the sequel fans of Sam Raimi's Evil Dead series have yearned for since Army of Darkness. And it's not a reboot or reimagining, it's a direct follow up to those genre classics from 30 years ago, and it's . . . GROOVY!

I'm not going to waste your time getting into the plot of Ash vs Evil Dead. Suffice to say Ash is back and so are the Deadites. And the irreverent humour, slapstick violence, outrageous horror and buckets and buckets of blood. In short, it's everything Evil Dead fans would want, only better because things don't wrap up in 90 minutes.

Sam Raimi and long-time writing partner Ivan Raimi cooked up the pilot, with Raimi back in the director's chair, and it's pure gold. We jump from comedy to balls out horror and back . . . and forth. There's never a dull moment. In fact, every moment is spot on, harkening back to everything I loved about the original films.

Several new characters are introduced, and they are all fine, but this is Bruce Campbell's show. Sure he's 30 years older, and a few pounds heavier, but he's Ash through and through. And it's so good to see him back doing what he does best -- kicking ass and being that cocky, smarmy asshole we love.

Starz has already OKed a second season of Ash vs Evil Dead, and I couldn't be happier. As long as the show doesn't take itself too seriously, and keeps up the tempo of the pilot, I'm sticking with it for the long haul.

Welcome back, Ash!

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